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Lithium absorption problem - gastro issues

I am having the worst IBS episode I've had in months. I am on day four. The last two days have been the worst. I am nearly tied to the bathroom now. I can't even wear pants and it is freaking freezing outside!!!

I cannot possibly be absorbing much of anything. Is there a particular food that might help? I am finally taking my IBS meds now, but it could take a couple of days for it to work. I hate those meds - they push me too far the other way and it might be weeks before I'm halfway in balance. In the meantime, are potatos good? Is cheese good? Should I cut the fresh fruit? I don't have a clue if any specific food helps with lithium absorption.

I would continue to eat whatever I want if I weren't worried about the lithium. No foods seem to help or hurt the attacks; they come and go as they please. I want to get my lab work done. It would be a complete waste of money to do it if things are going straight through me like they are now. Any ideas?

Thanks in advance!
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Avatar universal
Thanks ya'll! I'm waiting on a call back from the psychiatrist. I hope he hurries because I only have an hour to get to the feed store and I know my whole digestive tract should be clean as a whistle. It should be safe to go out...

LCC - The bloating is air or, more precisely, gas. It isn't water or fluid. Increasing fluid or even eating solid food becomes intensely painful. I think this is typical run-of-the-mill IBS. The medication stops bowel and bladder spasms. It's amazing how well things get shut down - once they're shut down. One dose doesn't do it. Usually it's two or three doses. When it kicks in, everything starts to feel better. The trouble is that it makes me drowsy, gives me dry mouth, and if I take one dose too many I will swing back the other way and be constipated for a week. I got 45 tabs in May. I still have half of them left. Normally, I just deal with it until it goes away because I hate the meds. Except when I can't stand it any more. Then, I like the meds just fine, LOL!!!

I have fiber supplements, but I don't use them every day. Maybe I should. It seems like one more thing to put in my mouth and since I have so substantially increased my fruit intake, I was doing well until this hit.  

Venora - I am taking supplements with calcium now, thanks! Just started a few weeks ago. I'm glad that the multiple cooked meals work for you. Frankly, it is too much work for me. Just being honest. I'm happy it works for you. I simply cannot see myself doing it. I eat multiple snacks or meals now, but concentrating on proteins and starches probably won't happen. And, IMO, life without soda or sugar would not be worth living. Seriously. I know it sounds bad, but I am a creature of habit big-time, for better or worse and not into cooking - and I have found deprivation only makes me (more) wicked. I eat a lot of fruit and yogurt, get some protein from cheese, then try for one combo meal - usually pasta and fish but sometimes something with chicken or pizza. We checked my thyroid only a few weeks ago and it was also checked a year ago. All that is okay. We have been loosely monitoring it for a while because my grandmother's went kaput.

The gastroenterologist told me years ago that the majority of his female IBS patients had been molested. It was so weird because that was the very last question he asked me and then he told me how things had been in his practice. It is somehow tied to something psychological for a lot of us, apparently, which is not to say that we're hypochondriacs. It's just illustrative of the mind-body connection. My sister was also molested and also has IBS. So, I tend to believe that some of this is connected to things that are going on psychologically. I know a lot is going on in my head right now. I shouldn't be surprised that it has ended up in my stomach.

I think I am a little better today, so hopefully tomorrow I will put it completely behind me. :-)
Helpful - 0
212753 tn?1275073111
HI there I am bi polar and I also have IBS with the big d. I have discovered that taking fiber con and calcium have arrested the d and the pain. I get an attack every now and then but it is nothing like it was before.
Try eating six small meals a day with a protien and a carb like brown rice. No sugar or sodas.
Get your thryoid checked too. it will mess with your digestive tract if it is out of whack.
I know how it feels to be tied to the bathroom. the pain is awful and the worry that you will have an accident. I buy lots of underwear. I have thrown so many out.
Let me know how you are doing. Give the fiber con and calcium a try. I take two fiber cons and 1 calcium at night.

Love Venora
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
To LCC,  I'm surprised to read you eat bread/toast.  The wheat and gluten can cause bloating also.  I can't eat it because of celiac disease so I eat gluten free bread and I get no bloating with that.

Was just a thought but then if it doesn't cause bloating in you then you have nothing to worry about, lol!

Take care.  :-)
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Avatar universal
I've been bloated since my dose has been upped, but have upped my water to match and it seems to work. I take my Lithium with food, no exceptions. Bread products, anything with starch is good to start off with, nothing spicy. Made my reflux go crazy if I don't. Personally I usually have toast after I take mine :) I'm not always thrilled about taking it, but it works, and I just had it upped again today... argh. So maybe two pieces of toast lol!
I'm glad your seeing your doctor!
Helpful - 0
607502 tn?1288247540
trust me I hear you on the bloating - despite losing 30cm of colon in feb my diverticulitis has been playing up and I bloat like no toomorrow and the pain.  I know just how you feel...

Hang in there ok.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks ya'll.

jst4shanell - This isn't regular diarrhea. I had a little bit of that when I started lithium, but it wasn't a big deal and it didn't stick around. Maybe a couple of days and then I was fine. I wasn't even sure if it was connected with the lithium until I re-read the info sheet. Nope, unfortunately for me, this is a garden variety IBS attack. I've them almost my whole life and there is usually a certain rhythm to them. One end of the spectrum and then the other. Only thing that varies is the pain and how much energy it saps from me. I'll ask the doctor about it. This is the first big episode in months, so basically I figure I'm due. The psychiatrist knows about the IBS, but we hadn't specifically discussed what to do if I got sick - other than to make sure the meds were safe.

monkeyc - I'll call the doc tomorrow. I am trying to drink a lot of fluids. Trouble is that I am so bloated. It is getting uncomfortable to eat or drink anything. But, I have to keep it up. I find it hilarious that I am back to eating yogurt which is so good for you, but then within 2 weeks I am sick. It's like my body is rejecting anything healthy, LOL!

One thing that might or might not help is that we split my pills into two doses. Hopefully something is getting in there. I don't want to go up in case it turns ugly...  

Thanks again, ya'll. If I can handle it I'll have some mac and cheese with tuna later. :-) That's a nice moist meal and probably the only salt I'll have all day. The rest has been yogurt and fruit...
Helpful - 0
607502 tn?1288247540
Whe I had my resection last year I wasnt adsorbing and it sent me manic.  You need to be speaking to your doctor about this, there are things that can be done.

Basically any food is fine with lithium aside from very salty foods but don't forget that you need to boost your fluids, you are loosing water right now as well.

Eat what you want, I do and never have a problem with my lithium.
Helpful - 0
222267 tn?1253302210
Diarhea is a common side effect of Lithium. I went through the same thing.  I would definately get your blood take ASAP.  You never know and you can never be too safe.  Have you talked to you pdoc about this?  These are very important things to address because diarhea is also very common with Lithium overdose.
Hope you start feeling better soon
Helpful - 0
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